Begonia plant named ‘Innbellro’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Innbellro’, characterized by its compact, mounded and pendulous plant habit; freely branching habit; and numerous flowers that are dark pink in color.

Botanical designation: Begonia×tuberhybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Innbellro’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia×tuberhybrida, commercially known as hybrid tuberose Begonia, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Innbellro’.

The new Begonia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new hybrid tuberose Begonia cultivars with attractive flower form and color.

The new Begonia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2003 of the Begonia×tuberhybrida cultivar Elserta, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unidentified selection of Begonia×tuberhybrida, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Begonia was discovered and selected by the Inventor from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Gensingen in 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia by cuttings in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany since the summer of 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Innbellro has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Innbellro’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Innbellro’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia:

-   -   1. Compact, mounded and pendulous plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Numerous flowers that are dark pink in color.

Plants of the new Begonia differ from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Elserta, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia have larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar Elserta.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia and the cultivar Elserta differ in         flower color as plants of the cultivar Elserta have orange         red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are more freely branching than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have larger flowers than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Begonia and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Champagner, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Begonia differed from plants of the cultivar Champagner in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia were more freely branching than         plants of the cultivar Champagner.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Begonia were smaller than leaves         of plants of the cultivar Champagner.     -   3. Plants of the new Begonia and the cultivar Champagner         differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Champagner         had soft yellow-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Begonia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Innbellro’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers and flower buds of ‘Innbellro’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTIONS

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements were grown in Bonsall, Calif. in 20-cm containers and under commercial practice in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse during the spring and summer. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C., night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels were about 5,000 foot-candles. Plants used for the photographs and the description were about four months from planting.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×tuberhybrida cultivar Innbellro. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Begonia×tuberhybrida cultivar             Elserta, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified selection of             Begonia×tuberhybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days at             temperatures of about 18° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 25 days at             temperatures of about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 25 days             at temperatures of about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 30 to 35             days at temperatures of about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium to thin, fibrous; ivory in color.             Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed to form             tubers.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form.—Compact, mounded and pendulous plant habit;             freely basal branching with about twelve primary branches             per plant; primary branches with secondary branches at             potentially every node. Moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 19 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 41 cm.         -   Branch description.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About             1.3 cm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: 148A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 12 cm. Width: About 4.8 cm. Shape: Lanceolate with             reniform tendencies. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obliquely             cordate. Margin: Serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Palmate to pinnate.             Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: 137A. Developing             leaves, lower surface: 147B tinted with 182B. Fully expanded             leaves, upper surface: 139A; venation, 147C. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: 147B to 147C; venation, 147C. Petiole             length: About 2.3 cm. Petiole diameter: About 3.5 mm.             Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             occasionally with scattered hairs. Petiole color, upper and             lower surfaces: 147C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Sterile double flowers with numerous tepals             and pistillate single flowers with four to five tepals;             flowers axillary and typically arranged in pendulous             clusters of three. Freely flowering habit with about 15 to             18 flowers and flower buds per branch. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during             the spring in Germany. Flowers last about four to five days             on the plant. Flowers not persistent.         -   Flowers.—Shape, double and single flowers: Rounded to ovate.             Diameter, double flowers: About 7 cm. Diameter, single             flowers: About 6.7 cm. Depth (height), double flowers: About             3.3 cm. Depth (height), single flowers: About 2.8 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Shape, double and single flowers: Ovoid.             Length, double flowers: About 3.4 cm. Length, single             flowers: About 4.2 cm. Diameter, double flowers: About             1.3 cm. Diameter, single flowers: About 1 cm. Color, double             and single flowers: Close to 48C to 48D.         -   Tepals.—Arrangement, double and single flowers: Rosette.             Quantity per flower, double flowers: About 170 in numerous             whorls. Quantity per flower, single flowers: About four to             five in a single whorl. Length, double flowers: About             3.4 cm. Length, single flowers: About 4.4 cm. Width, double             flowers: About 1 cm. Width, single flowers: About 1.8 cm.             Shape, double and single flowers: Narrowly oblanceolate.             Apex, double and single flowers: Acute. Base, double and             single flowers: Attenuate. Margin, double and single             flowers: Entire. Texture, double and single flowers, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, double and             single flowers: When opening, upper surface: 50A. When             opening, lower surface: 48B to 48C. Fully opened, upper             surface: 51A. Fully opened, lower surface: 50B.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity/arrangement: Present on double and             single flowers; two, opposite. Length: About 4 cm. Diameter:             About 3.2 cm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Base:             Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: 51A. Color, lower             surface: 50B.         -   Peduncles.—Angle: Drooping. Length, double flowers: About             4.5 cm. Length, single flowers: About 6.2 cm. Diameter,             double and single flowers: About 3 mm. Texture, double and             single flowers: Smooth, glabrous. Color, double and single             flowers: 53C to 53D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed on double or             single flowers. Pistils: Only observed on single flowers.             Pistil length: About 2.5 cm. Stigma shape: Irregular,             undulate. Stigma color: 22A. Style length: About 6 mm. Style             color: 52A. Ovary color: 145B tinted with 181B to 181C.             Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Begonia has not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 16° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Innbellro’ as illustrated and described. 